Immigration paper needed to purchase bike

I have seen this question here before. I had always thought that you had to have a Non- Immigrant visa (90 days) to get this paper. Well I was wrong. I am presently in Thailanbd on a "stamp" (30 days) I needed this paper to buy a 4 wheeled vehicle and the other options went that good so I thought I'd stop by immigrations and just ask. This is in Pattaya. No problem. A couple copies of mypassport and 2 pictures and I had the paper good until my 30 days was up. The fee was 300 baht. It took about 5 minutes. JOHN

Thanks for the info on the residence form. Always good to hear a first hand report, rather than rumors.

How long does it take to register a 4 wheeler? Hopefully, before your 30 day form is up. On the last bike purchase, my 90 day form expired twice, before the weekend registration services got around to running it through. Needed a new one each time.

I bought a Honda Phantom 200 in Phuket, tried to change ownership in Prachuap Kiri Khan. When I went for the first time, I had two months left on a non-B visa. I was told it would take one month (!) to do the paperwork. Well, it took more than two months for the paperwork to return from Phuket, and by that time my non-B expired and I had a tourist visa. When I went again to pick up my new title, I was told that I can not register it in my name because now I am a tourist! I had all my paperwork filed already, statement of residence, copy of passport and visa and so on. I was told to simply register it in my girlfriends name; I said I might do that and asked for the green book. They gave me back all my paperwork, but kept the book! All my requests fell on deaf ears. - Maybe I have to go there with a Thai who has some pull...

If it was recently, the office is incorrect. Here is info from the Bangkok Rider site.

"Until a few years ago, a foreigner was required to possess a work permit to register a motor vehicle in Thailand. This requisite was somewhat eased later to possession of a non-immigrant visa (of any kind). Moreover, since 2001, a foreigner with a tourist visa can register a motor vehicle in his own name. One thing you should bear in mind, however, is that Thai government officials are often unaware of recent changes in laws and regulations. So, if you're asked to present a work permit to register a motor vehicle, you must remind them that a tourist visa is good enough."

I am not a legal expert, but I did register a bike in 2001, while in Thailand on a 30 day tourist visa.

Klaus, You do need the document from immigrations. That maybe where you went wrong from the start. I think it is what provs where you live. So it takes the place of the Tabian Baan. This is the document that says where a Thai person lives. I have bought vehicals in Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Bangkok and always had and needed this document. Bob to answer your question on how long it took. I was about 2 hours in and out. It was at a registration office over in Thonburi. That is across the river from Bangkok. I left this the book in my name. The added twist is that I want to transfer from Bongkok to Chonburi. They give you 15 days to do this, They also issue you new plates that would be for chonburi area. Went I went into the Chonburi office they did tell me that I would have to get a wew paper as the one I had would be expired when the paperwork from Thonburi made it down to Chonburi. I think the lady at Immigrations thought I would need more time because whe told me to come back it I need more time. JOHN

John, I did file that residency paper, like mentioned above. When I registered my car, it was accepted. That took only two runs to Prachuap. The same statement was accepted at one of the earlier tries, and it would have worked if they hadn't checked my visa status again when I came to pick the papers up. Anyways, I contacted the previous owner who's back in Germmany again, and have a new contract; now my girlfriend is the owner, hope it'll work this way. - There are relatively few foreigners in this area and I guess the rules that apply to Pattaya or Phuket are not the same somewhere in the boonies where nobody speaks a word of english...

KLAUS,
I'm a retired Marine living in Burirum and I have a Jepp, A Toyota Tiger and 750 Yamaha all in my name...I had to get the letter from the U.S. Embassey stating where I lived in Thailand on my first vehicle but since then all I do is go to the Local police station in my village and have the big guy do a letter for me that says the same as the one from the U.S. Embassy and best of all it's free..

As far as living in the boonies I stay in Krasang where no one speaks english except for the Mafia type figures. Everytime I go to a government office in Burirum for something I always get the same answers. "Your a Falung so you have to go to Bangkok" Well I did this once and the big guy in Bangkok told me that whatever you want to do has to be done in the providence where you live at. Since then I never take no for an answer from these people... I always ask to talk to the boss and sometimes I get to but most of the time they get scared and think maybe the Falung is right and they do what needs to be done.

Seems that Khun Dan "once a marine always a marine" is a bit of a bully. I've met a few former and current marines who fit the description well. I don't think I'd like to take an extended ride with you if you always want to intimidate our hosts. You said you thought you were a nice person. Maybe we should ask the people at your local Amphoe office.

Exactly what do you consider to be the proper way to deal with "our hosts" - when that "host" happens to be a minor official at a provincial office who:
1. May not know the laws pertaining to foreigners
2. May not want to admit it and lose face
3. May not feel like doing his job that day
4. May just want to pass the situation to someone else

I do not consider it "bullying" or "intimidating" a person if you ask to speak to his superior so the issue can be taken care of at that office - where it is supposed to be taken care of.

Yes, it ain't always easy in TH, you have to tiptoe the line between being polite and applying a certain amount of pressure in certain cases... Like my girlfriend - if I ask something in a nice way, she says "Yes" and it'll never happen. If I get fed up and yell at her, things work out just fine. I often said that I don't want to "play the policeman", nut haven't figured out a better way yet - after 3 years... Often the problem lies somewhere else than it appears to me, that's why it's always good to have a thai person with you, they can work things out among themselves. Sometimes the next day everything works without a hitch, even though today it was absolutely impossible... Sometimes a little money is expexted, sometimes it's insulting, sometimes the money goes to the thai that is with you... I'd say you should always be polite and relaxed, respect local customs and the problems that come with it, but if they give you the runaround it's about time to express your dismay - just don't throw the computer monitor through the window, even though you feel like it...

In the Phuket Gazette online of today it says under Issues&Answers that it is possible to buy and register a vehicle as a tourist. All a tourist needs is a passport with a valid visa and an "address confirmation paper" which is availabe at the Phuket Provincial Immigration Office. -
The address confirmation does not necessarily involve your embassy, I registered my car (on a non-B) with a statement from the local police.

This is a follow up on my post of registering a vehicle. I transfered the "book" from bangkok to ChonBuri. I did have to get the Immigration paper renewed as the first one would have expired but the time they issued a new book in Chonburi. I also received a brand new book and licence plate. By registering in Chonburi I will be able to pay the tax in the future at the office outside of Pattaya. After receiving my new book. It got me to thinking- Is this wher all the old books come from that get recycled as vehicles that come is as parts. JOHN

Staff Member

Joe
That's a bloody good question.
I'm trying to watch the situation closely right now, as I've finally started my bike rego process, & from what I gather the book will be coming via Chonburi, but will supposedly be a new one.